Elizabeth Birge

There’s only one thing to do after Wednesday’s press conference by President-elect Donald Trump, and his Twitter tantrum, get out your American flag and fly it upside down on Jan. 20, Inauguration Day. It’s a drastic measure to be sure, and one that is frowned on, according to Reference.com, but it is a succinct, dramatic message to everyone that something is desperately amiss. The American flag is only supposed to be hung upside down in a time of great distress.

In a world where everything is merry and bright, Mommy is kissing a stranger, grandma is killed by raging caribou, and a serial stalker is keeping tabs on children day and night. Yes, it’s that time of year for creepy holiday carols, the ones you love to belt out without really thinking about the lyrics. “Santa Claus Is Comin’ to Town” written by John Frederick Coots and Haven Gillespie in 1932, is a classic example of the boogey man story, only with music.

And the No. 1 holiday movie to watch during the end-of-year celebrations? Like anything else, it depends on who you ask or where you look. Since 1989 the National Film Registry has selected 25 movies a year that it believes showcase the range and diversity of the country’s cinema and are worthy of preservation. Two of the films, It’s a Wonderful Life, released in 1946, and A Christmas Story, released in 1983, were added to the list in 1990 and 2012 respectively.